Sweet and Innocent (Demi Lovato)

Chapter 41

Neveah's POV

Even though I am still sad about my adoptive parents getting arrested, I am glad that I get to stay with Lilly at Demi and Wilmer's house. Lilly's the only person that I know won't hurt me, even when she's scared. She got hit by Uncle Mark many times because of me, so I know she will protect me.

A few days after we went to court to get my adoptive parents arrested, Wilmer tells Lilly and I that we can't see Demi because she's sick. I remember when Lilly and I used to get sick, but Uncle Mark didn't care, even if we were throwing up.

Lilly seems very happy to be with Demi and Wilmer. I hope that they can make me that happy too. I want to learn to play music just like Lilly does. She plays piano and sings, but I want to play guitar. Then we can play together some day.

While eating breakfast, Demi comes rushing downstairs. Wilmer seems surprised because she didn't even come downstairs yesterday.

"What's wrong?" he asks quietly.

I look back to Lilly to see her listening to their conversation. I don't see why I would do that. Sometimes it's bad to know people's private things.

"Girls," Wilmer says, "finish eating, then you're going to Demi's family's, alright?"

Demi's mom is very nice. Every time that both Demi and Wilmer are busy, they bring Lilly and I there so we're not alone. They have a really nice dog and really good food. Although I don't mind staying at Demi's mom's house, I hope Demi's okay.

---

Once Demi and Wilmer drop us off, they leave immediately. Whatever's going on, it must be important.

Demi's mom is the only one home, since it's a week-day. She takes us on a walk with the dog, then she lets us pick something to watch on the TV in the living room with some popcorn.

After the show's over, we go to McDonald's for lunch. Lilly loves their french fries, and I do too, so it's our first choice for a restaurant. It's not like either one of us have been to many restaurants though, either.

We go shopping after we eat for the rest of my back-to-school stuff. Lilly doesn't want to go to public school, but I enjoyed getting to know more kids my age last school-year, so I'm excited to start school tomorrow. 

When Demi's mom takes us to get frozen yogurt in the mall, she gets a call from Wilmer. After she hangs up the phone, she tells us that Demi won't be coming home tonight, but that Wilmer is already there and waiting for us. I wonder where Demi is staying, but I don't ask because it might be too personal for me to know.

Wilmer hugs Lilly and I when we get back to the house, then we go up to Lilly's room to play. I have my own room in the house now too, but I don't have a very big toy collection of my own; plus, Lilly has the Barbie house.

---

Demi still isn't home when we wake up and eat breakfast the next morning. Wilmer acts as though everything is normal.

"When will Demi be back?" Lilly asks.

"Soon," Wilmer replies, leaving it at that.

Today, is my first day of grade (1 or 2). I pick out my outfit, which is a pair of jeans and a shirt with a cat on it, then I comb my hair. Wilmer doesn't know how to style hair, so I have to leave it the way it is. Wilmer and I pack a lunch and put it in my backpack with my school supplies. Then, Lilly and I get in the back of the car, and Wilmer drives us to my new school.

Wilmer and Lilly have to come to the school with me because it's the first day. We have to talk to the principal in the office before I can go to my classroom. They say goodbye after meeting the teacher, then leave the school.

"Hello. What's your name?" the teacher asks.

"Neveah," I reply.

"And your last name?"

I shrug my shoulders because I don't know what they would have my last name as, since I've had two different ones and will be getting another new one soon.

"Okay," she says, seeming unphased. "I'm Ms. Jackson."

I look around the classroom as more and more kids file in, some with their parents and some without.

Ms. Jackson had placed names on the tables before any of us got to school, so I look around the classroom until I find the table with my name on it and sit down.

"Please find your seats!" Ms. Jackson calls out, trying to calm down the students.

Once everyone is seated, she instructs us to, one-at-a-time, go put our backpacks in our labelled cubbies and change into our "indoor shoes."

I look at the three other kids at my table. Their names, I read, are: Liam, Thomas, and Brooklyn.

"How do you say your name?" Brooklyn asks me, pointing at my name tag. 

Looking up, I see that she has blonde hair and glasses. She appears as though she is nice. "Neveah," I pronounce, "but you can call me Nevvy."

"Okay, Nevvy," she says smiling, "you can call me Brooke."

The rest of the school day passes quickly. We do almost no work because it's the first day of school, and recess is a lot of fun because I already have a friend: Brooke.

After school, Wilmer and Lilly are waiting for me outside the car. Once I spot them waiting, I say goodbye to Brooke and run up to them. Lilly seems sad, but Wilmer is happy to see me.

"How was your school-day?" Wilmer asks as we all get into the car.

"Good." I buckle myself into the car seat. "I made a friend; her name is Brooke."

"That's good."

"Is Demi back yet?" I question.

"She's coming back in time for supper," Wilmer says.

---

After playing with Lilly for an hour, supper is ready. Demi came back from wherever she was, and she looked very sad. I give her a hug after Wilmer and Lilly did, then we sit down to eat supper.

Demi is quiet for the first part of supper, then she turns to me and asks, "How was your first day of school?"

"It was really good," I say. "My teacher's name is Ms. Jackson; she's very nice. At my table, there are two annoying boys, but there's also my new best friend. Her name is Brooke, and we played together at recess." 

Demi smiles, then asks Lilly how her day was. Otherwise, supper is quiet, and after supper, we all sit in the living room to watch a movie.

I hope Demi's okay and I wonder what happened where she was. I can't shake the feeling that it was something bad.

------------

Happy holidays! I hope you enjoy the last update on this story of 2019! Thanks for reading!